Only Human (25 page)

‘I know.’

‘I felt hot, my skin burned and I felt sick and starving at the same time. When I opened my eyes, it was like looking through flame. It was horrible.’

‘The Sanguis, it bit you in the tunnel, do you remember? And then you were biting it
, like a rabid animal or something.’

‘I don’t remember much after that
, but I know now that the Sanguis wasn’t trying to kill me, it was sucking the poison from the critters bite, out of me, to save me.’

‘No! How can you be sure?’

‘His mate, you met her briefly before we went out to see what the Watchers had seen, that day, you know, the cave in.’

‘The Sanguis in Sebastian’s room.
She told you that. How does she know?’

‘Because when her mate sucked the poison from me he couldn’t move, it par
alysed him and made him extremely ill. She came to find him and found us both, half-dead in the tunnel. She pulled us both out and took us to their den, pummelled the poison from her mate and he spat it out; she tended our wounds, and waited to see if we would recover. She saved both our lives.’

‘But Garok, her mate was in the forest with Anne, he is bad. He was working with her to kill me.’

‘No he wasn’t. He knew she was skulking about and he pretended to be working for her. He was there to save you. He fought her didn’t he?’

‘Yes, but I wasn’t sure what he would do to me if he won.’

‘Never judge anyone or anything in this world by their appearance Aecia. I’ve learnt that much since all of this started; the face doesn’t reflect the heart and soul. The Sanguis look scary, the Watchers aren’t pretty, but the ones I’ve met have more love in their deformed fingers than some ‘beautiful’ people have in their whole body.’

‘You’re right,
looking at the Sanguis with Anne, I just presumed the worst, and with the one in Sebastian’s room. I will thank them as soon as I can. Do they speak English.’

‘Ha
ha, no, of course not, but they will.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You were trying to teach Orianna and the others weren’t you? They told me.’

‘Yeah, they were learning really fast too.’

‘Well, in the new home, the mountain on the island, your Uncle’s island, there is a school and you can be a teacher.’

‘Wow
! A teacher. I’d love to teach the Clones and learn from the Watchers and, oh my god, did you say, your Uncle’s island?’

‘Yes, it’s
his own island, it’s not on the map, it’s hidden and we won’t live on the surface, we’ll live underneath it.’

‘
An island! A whole island! How? When? Why has he not told me about it before?’

‘Aecia, that is as much as I know to date. Your
Uncle is anxious to explain everything to you, but he has been too involved in our rescue and transport to his people. There’s been no time.’

‘But I…’
Garok is growing tired of my questions Amica. I’m just noticing the dark circles framing his eyes, and the grey pallor of his skin.

‘I’m sorry Garok. Enough! I’ll interrogate you no more, and wait until
Uncle decides it is the best time to speak to me.’ A wry grin appears on his face and he sighs, saying, ‘well thank god for that! I’m getting a headache!’

‘You pig!’

‘No, I believe you can call me “First lieutenant” of Doctor Rauul, leader of “The Rebellion!” Keeper of his secrets and instrument of his rebellious will!’ Look at him! Bowing in front of me friend, like a gallant knight of old.

‘You’re a burke Garok!
With severe delusions of grandeur!’

‘You like me though. I know you like me.’

‘Git.’ I can’t help but smile, as I punch him in the shoulder and usher him back inside.

There is a lift at the end of the corridor, and the canteen where we will eat, is on the floor above us. Do I call it ‘floor’ or do I call it ‘deck’?
Not being a ‘first class’ citizen, I have never been on a ship before Amica. The only boats I’ve seen have been in the history books at school, and the pictures Uncle gave to me. Who cares what it’s called! It’s up above, it’s safe, and there’s real human food!

As I enter the enormous room I am surprised at how quiet it is. There must be a few hundred in our mixed group of
Watchers, Clones, Vampires and Humans; we, together with the crew of the ship, would normally create a huge racket. It reminds me that we are not going on vacation. This is a rescue, and we are still in constant danger of being discovered. It had almost slipped my mind, due to the shock of discovering my Uncle owns this ship, and such a spectacularly grand ship, as this one.

‘Aecia!’

There are my gang! Looking cleaner, and more rested than I have seen them in a long time. Ha, at least fifteen other people have frowned at them and put their finger to their lips, gesturing them to be quiet. I’ll tiptoe over there and sit down with them. Garok has disappeared over my left shoulder, presumably to find Uncle, but I’m too hungry to concentrate on that now. The tables are laden with fruit, vegetables and cooked meats. The aroma of warm, fresh bread fills my nostrils and intoxicates my taste buds. There are no farms, where has Uncle got all of this human food? I can see you laughing Amica, tucked in between Orianna and Lupe. I can’t help but ask questions, it’s in my nature. You’re right this time though, I’ll shut up and eat.

Not all the tables have human food, of course. The
Vampires, who are part of the rebellion, have a table of their own. There are about twelve of them, all dressed up in sailor uniforms (white pants, white shirts with epaulettes on their shoulders displaying their rank) and they look tall, dark and gorgeous! Wow, I never thought I would consider any Vamp ‘gorgeous’, apart from that ‘Cato’ but he’s an Elder and he probably put a spell on me or something. Well anyway, the crew here looks hot! Their table is no better or worse than ours, in fact, it is in the middle, and they are whispering away to the other Clones and Watchers as they drink their synthesised blood. It’s a surreal sight for myself and my friends, but a welcome one.

‘Aecia.’

‘Uncle! At last! You’re a difficult man to get hold of.’

‘Have you eaten your fill?’

‘Yes, and I’m desperate to talk to you!’

He is smiling
friend, he doesn’t look quite as worried as before. Perhaps we are nearing the end of this rescue. Perhaps we will be safe soon.

‘Come to my cabin
Aecia and we’ll talk. There is much to tell you.’

‘You’re telling me!’

ORIGINAL SINS

Uncle’s cabin, or at least, the one he has brought me to, is plain and cosy like ours.

‘Go!’

‘Okay Aecia, give me a chance to sit down. Now, first I’ll tell you how I came to own a ship such as this, and where we are going.’

‘Garok told me that you have two lives?’

‘Yes, I became Uncle Rauul when you were born, so that I could be part of your world and watch over you. I am a rich man Aecia. I have been a Vampire for a long time and I have accumulated wealth along the way.’

‘So you bought the ship?’

‘No. I had it made fourteen years ago. It is transport between my two lives. On the surface, I am an important but private Vampire, below, I am Doctor Rauul, founder of the rebellion.’

‘You are important?
How important?’

‘The most important, to most of the
Vampire race.’

An idea is growing in my mind Amica. Remember in the forest, when
Uncle spouted all that weird, scary latin jargon, and frightened the life out of me? Not just me, the whole forest seemed to shrink and tremble at his words. No he couldn’t be? Could he?

‘Are you..? You’re not… You’re not the ‘Original’!’

‘Yes.’

I’m not frightened.
Why am I not frightened?

‘I’m not frightened of you
Uncle. Do I even call you that? You can’t be my Uncle, you are thousands of years old!’

‘Yes I am, and you’re right, I’m not your
Uncle.’

‘But why did you look after me then, and pretend to be my kin? And what on earth do I call you?
Yo! It’s Mr Original!’

Why am I being flippant friend? I’m sad, really sad that he’s not my kin. I’ve loved him all my life as my
Uncle and best friend.

‘You can call me…’

‘What? Why won’t you look at me? Call you what?’

‘You can call me ….Father.
’ What did he just say Amica?

‘Wha
t did you just say to me?’

‘I said
, you can call me father.’

‘Wha….What?
I’ve got to get out of here!’

Garok is outside the door and he has
grabbed my arm to stop me fleeing from a truth I just can’t handle. I feel it’s true, it’s as if I’d always known. His constant attention over the years, his wise words and kindnesses, his love. I’ve felt his love always. I know it and I feel it now, but it’s just too much!

‘Aecia.’

‘Let me go!’

‘Look, I know you’re upset, mixed up, and I don’t know what he said to you in there, but look at him. He loves you. He told me it’s because of you he changed everything Aecia. He’s still your
Uncle.’

Garok obviously doesn’t know everything yet friend. I can’t tell him now. I can see
Uncle through the crack in the door (yes, he is still Uncle, not father) and he is sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. I can see you too Amica, with your arms wrapped around him, giving me daggers with your eyes.

‘My life is a lie Garok.
Do you know how that feels?’

Garok’s eyes are narrowing as he mulls over what I have said. I can almost see the cogs in his brain turning as he tries to work out what I mean. He’s not stupid, he’s probably half way to the truth already, but I’m not telling him yet.

‘Whatever Aecia! It’ll all work out. Get back in there and talk to him.’

He has pushed me in and closed the cabin d
oor behind me. I have no choice but to stay. Me, who gets annoyed at having to breathe, because it interrupts my sentences, can think of nothing to say. I’m confused, I’m angry, I’m scared. I don’t know who I am. He is looking at me with watery cat’s eyes. I do love him, but as my Uncle. How do I love him as my father? What about my real father who raised me? Was my mother, even my real mother?

‘Mother, was she my mother?’

‘In the real sense of the word, your parents were your parents. They brought you up, they cared for you, clothed, fed, and loved you all of your life.’

‘Good. I’m glad you know that. They were my mum and dad, and they always will be. You are my
Uncle, that’s all, my Uncle!’

He looks sad. I don’t want to make him sad but it’s true. I loved my own mother and father. He can’t expect me to feel any different. Anyway friend, he gave me away. He didn’t want his feeble human child. They took me in, in spite of that fact.

‘Why did you give me away? Was it because I wasn’t a big strong, blood-seeking Vampire?’

‘No! No! Please don’t ever think that. I adored you from the second you were born! So small, tiny and helpless. I wanted to wrap you up in
armour and keep you safe from all those who would harm you in this world. You were the first human I had seen as a living breathing miracle. Looking at you, a small bundle of delicate life, I remembered who Humans really were, who I was before I became Vampire. I was consumed with such painful emotion, when I looked at my sins since then. The thousands of Humans I had killed for pleasure, and to satisfy my thirst. The gallons of blood I had callously spilt for myself, and for all the other greedy demons I had created with my venomous blood.’

‘Well why give me away then? Wouldn’t I have been safer with you? You gave me away into a world created by you, full of those ‘greedy demons’ as you called them. You couldn’t wait to get rid of me.’

‘No! Never! I was consumed by you, imprisoned by my own heart, but I also knew myself. The changes I had decided to make were not going to be easy, and they had to start with me. I had grown addicted to my way of life, the ever-overflowing goblets of blood, multiple servants I treated like dirt under my feet, the power I enjoyed. I was spoiled, pampered, selfish, but above all, I was dangerous!’

‘I was in danger from you? You wanted to drink my blood?’

‘Of course not! Not in my right mind, but if I deprived myself of human blood, I didn’t know how I was going to react. I had never exercised any self-control in any area of my life. I never had to. I was the Original, feared and respected by all. I was horrible Aecia. A horrible, evil and remorseless being. I was a plague upon the earth. I didn’t deserve such a precious, innocent and untouched daughter such as you. You were safer away from me.’ I want to put my arms around him. He is almost shaking with emotion.

‘
Uncle, it’s okay, You’re not like that now. You did what you said and you changed. Not just you, you have helped change the lives of other Vampires, and the Clones, look at the Clones and the Watchers you have helped. It’s okay, please don’t be sad, I understand, I do.’ We are disturbed by the sound of Garok knocking gently on the cabin door.